Avatar: End of the Road
by FactFanatic
Summary: A new story with a whole host of original characters. New Avatar, new types of bending, new technology, new nations and factions, new villains. Set roughly a century after the events of LOK, this story will serve as my counter to the popular suggestion of the next Avatar story being that of twin Earthbenders. I want the Avatar universe to go places, and explore new concepts.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: While I have much of this story already planned out, this is only a test-run to see if people are into it. While characters from the shows will appear from time to time, for the most part this is an original story, with original characters, taking place in the wonderfully complex Avatar universe. I'm going to try to emulate the writers' style and message, but rather than copying their format for an Avatar TV series this story will aim to use new concepts and unique character arcs to create something that actually adds to the wider Avatar story in a positive way.**

 **Please note that the 'The Legend of Korra' show ended in AG 174, and we begin nearly a century later. A lot has changed in the Avatar world.**

 **Prologue:**

 **AG 259**

The rasps of her breath were the only sound. The room was bare, the door was locked. The bed she lay on was old, the wood decaying, the mattress torn and damp. The sheets were thin, and through them her frail body was clearly visible.

Her skin, once tanned brown, was pale. Her arms and legs were barely more than bone, and each of her ribs could be counted. What was left of her hair was grey, dirty and fraying.

Her eyes, for the first time in a long time, were open. She gazed upon the room. She gazed upon her body. For the past eighteen years, she had looked within herself. She had searched for answers to questions she didn't understand. Now, for the last time, she was awake.

Her left ear no longer worked, so she did not hear the footsteps until they were right outside the door. She was not, however, surprised. She knew they were coming. She knew _what_ was coming.

The lock rattled and the door burst open. A man in a blue cloak rushed to her bed. He did not look at her face, did not expect her eyes to be open. His focus was on the monitor beside her, and the numbers it displayed next to a detailed image of her body. The numbers were decreasing. Quickly.

"Not good," he murmured. "It's too soon." Then he looked at her anxiously. And met her gaze.

His eyes widened, but hers were unflinching. In them he saw more emotion than he had ever seen, and at the same time, nothing. Even if she could have spoken, she would have had nothing to say to him.

Others appeared, bursting through the door. They all wore blue cloaks, like the first. One wore a chain around his neck, with a Pai Sho piece resting against his chest. He took one look at the monitor and pressed a button by the door. A man dressed in white appeared moments later, quickly pushing past the others and placing a stethoscope on her chest.

"Do something," urged the first to enter.

The nurse shook his head.

"Quickly," spoke the one with the Pai Sho piece. His voice was deep. Commanding.

The nurse shook his head again. "I'm sorry. I can't."

The monitor started beeping, loud and urgent.

"It's too soon! Do something!" This from one of the others.

With the last of her strength, she raised her head, and looked them in the eyes, taking several seconds to stare at each of them before resting her gaze on the Grand Lotus. He bristled, looking defiant. He was frustrated, angry.

In his eyes she saw desperation. And she felt triumph. After everything they had forced her to endure, he could not prevent her escape.

In her final moments, Korra breathed a sigh of relief. And like the cycle of the seasons, the cycle of the Avatar began anew.

 **Chapter 1:**

 **AG 284**

The wind sighed. Mulo crouched on the branch, staying absolutely still. The sounds of the forest, so familiar to her now, did nothing to dampen her hearing. She knew where he was.

She stared at a bush that could easily hide someone his size. For once, the energy was quiet, and her focus was absolute. She leaned back ever so slightly, as if to pounce. She paused for a single moment, then jumped off the branch, grasped it with her left hand, and swung herself around and under it, launching into the figure that had been lurking on the branch behind her.

"Got you!" she cried, laughing even before they hit the ground.

"Ouch! Bleeding hogmonkeys Mulo, you scared the life out of me!"

She grinned, leaping up and pinning him down with her foot. "'S what you get for thinking you can sneak up on me."

Wriggling beneath her, Arlin shot Mulo a vengeful glare and abandoned his feeble attempt at camouflage. His skin went from a mix of dark green and muddy brown to bright blue, and his eyes shone yellow. "I figured you thought I was in the bush."

He whipped his tail lazily, slapping at her foot until she let him up. He flipped over onto all fours, peddling his webbed feet over to a low hanging tree, and relaxing in the shade. "Besides, the energy was shifting, I was hoping you'd be distracted."

Mulo laughed again, strolling over and taking a seat next to him, leaning against the bark and sighing. "I didn't feel a thing. You must have imagined it. Anyway, that's a feeble excuse. Just admit that you'll never beat me at this game. I know this forest better than you do. Which is saying something, since this is your world and all."

He rolled his beady little eyes, then paused and gave her a concerned look. "You really didn't feel that? The spiritual energies shifted in a big way. That's not good, Mulo. Your senses used to be better."

"Yeah, right, because I totally care about the inner workings of the spirit world. The energy shifts all the time Arlin. Let it go."

Arlin straightened, lifting up a gangly blue arm and placing a webbed hand on her shoulder. "I can't let it go. It's not normal for you to be so disconnected from things. Especially here. I still don't understand why you chose to live in the Spirit world if you can't stand listening to us."

"Hey, I don't mind listening to you. Most of the time. And you know why I came here. Anything was better than staying with the Elders."

Arlin shook his head. "I just know I'm going to regret helping you get away from that Elite guy one day. You don't belong here, and we both know it."

Mulo stiffened. "I belong were I choose to belong. And Yeren gets no say in the matter. If you hadn't helped me I would've just escaped to somewhere in the human world. His offer of a spiritual journey was just too good an opportunity to pass up."

"Coward…" Arlin muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Mulo snapped.

"Nothing."

"Come on then." Mulo leaped up. "Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

"Typical human, always thinking with your stomach." Arlin got up too, albeit more slowly. He stood on two feet, his reptilian head only just reaching her shoulders. While Arlin was most certainly the older of the two, and significantly wiser, he always looked like a little brother when standing next to her.

"Let's go to the pond this time, the fruit is better there."

If Arlin had an eyebrow, he would have raised it. "Oh, really. And you're sure you don't just want to avoid talking to Iroh?"

Mulo didn't react, but she took a beat before saying, "Nah, I love Iroh. I'm just a little tired of his tea. If that's what you wanted, I'm sure I can make it as good as he does."

Arlin sighed. "No, that's fine. The pond is fine. But I wish you would tell me what happened between you too. You used to be so close. I know he can be boring at times, but you once told me he was like the father you never-"

"I know what I said!" She yelled, startling both of them. She kept walking, and after a moment Arlin followed. They didn't talk again until they reached the pond.

"Hey Arlin, Mulo, how's it going?" They looked up and saw a large pink bird swooping down towards them.

"Hey, Tuona, nothing much. We were just playing in the woods." Arlin replied, brushing a feather from his face as the ever-cheerful bird spirit landed in front of them.

"Ah, of course. Who won?"

Mulo laughed. "Do you even have to ask?" She knocked a tree with her fist, causing several purple fruits to fall into her other hand.

"So, what's new in the human world?" asked Arlin, snatching at one of the fruits and grumbling when Mulo ducked out of range.

"The usual. That President guy was talking about his fancy new 'space-ship' on the human news. All the humans seem to care about these days are boats that can sail in emptiness."

"Yep, humans are boring," agreed Mulo, drinking from the pond with her hand.

"Actually Mulo, I was hoping to catch you," Tuona remarked. "There's another human nearby. He just came through the portal a couple days ago, but he's already halfway through the forest. I think he's coming this way."

"What?!" Mulo dropped her fruit and leaped up. "You're just telling me this now?"

"I told you, I was looking for you. You don't exactly make yourself easy to find."

Arlin tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but Mulo batted him away.

"Damn tourists," she muttered. "I'll send him packing."

"What's your problem with other humans anyway?" asked Tuona. "Aren't you a tourist yourself?"

Arlin chuckled softly. "No, she lives here. She's more like an immigrant."

Mulo was already jogging away, but before she could disappear into the trees, a voice called, "I prefer to think of us as welcome guests."

Mulo whirled around. General Iroh stood in the clearing, with a pot of tea in one hand and an envelope in the other.

"Hello, Iroh. Good to see you," Arlin offered, trying and failing not to look uncomfortable.

"You too, Arlin. You're looking well."

"What are you doing here? And why do you have a letter?" This from Mulo, who felt just as awkward but was better at hiding it. "Is that paper? From the human world?"

Iroh smiled with what looked like pity. "Yes. It's from a friend of mine. Or rather, from the great-grandson of a very old friend of mine. He wrote to tell me he was coming. I was going to tell you, but you were nowhere to be found."

"That's what I said," laughed Tuona. "So this surprisingly fast human is coming to see you?"

Mulo was silent, but they could all feel the tension coming off her. Ignoring her glare, Iroh replied. "Actually, he's coming to see Mulo. At my request."

"Who is he?" asked Arlin, sensing the imminent explosion from Mulo but clueless as to how to stop it.

"His name is Bolin. His great-grandfather was called Aang, and he and I used to be very good friends."

"Wait, Aang? You mean _Avatar_ Aang?" Arlin's eyes went as wide as they could go, and Mulo's fists were clenched

"That's right. He's a well-respected Nomad. I asked him to come here because-"

A flash of green light blinded them, and when they opened their eyes, Mulo was gone.

Iroh shook his head. "Oh dear. I should have seen that coming." He turned to Arlin. "Would you kindly bring her back? Please?"

Arlin sighed. "Here we go again."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

"Mulo! Wait!"

The pond was gone, and in its place was a swirling, shifting _soup_ of energy. Every colour in the spectrum danced before Mulo's eyes, but she didn't even blink.

She knew Arlin was trying to follow her. But she wasn't going to make it easy for him. The scene changed, and suddenly she was standing in the forest, right where they had been playing less than hour ago. She paused, waited for him to appear, and as soon as his blue skin materialised she was gone, through the energy and out into a clearing, overlooked by a mountain. If she were in a better mood, Mulo might say hello to it, as the giant rock spirit always told very funny jokes. But instead, she vanished again.

She flitted from spot to spot, traversing the entire spirit world in a matter of minutes, until, finally, she reached her destination. She appeared in another forest, one filled with orange-and-purple trees, covered in a thick purple moss. She sat down, and let a moth wasp land on her arm. She could relax here. Only the very brave – and very deadly- spirits dared enter this part of their world. Even if Arlin could find her, and he couldn't, she thought, he would never pluck up the courage to follow her in.

But of course, the universe had a habit of proving people wrong.

"Ouch!" cried Arlin, appearing beside her just a few inches off the ground. He crumpled beside her, sighing in exasperation. "I wish you hadn't made me do that. You know jumping like that makes me sick."

Mulo got up. "I didn't make you follow me," she snapped.

"Iroh wasn't done talking to you."

"But I was done listening. He invited a human here. He told a human where I was in a _letter_ , and invited him to come talk to me."

Arlin reached a hand toward her. "He only wants what's best-"

Mulo swatted him away. "And not just any human," she went on. "A _Nomad_. If I didn't know better I'd say he was just clueless, but he's well aware of how hard I tried to get away from them."

"He didn't invite the whole air nation. Just one person. A friend, he said. Someone who can help you."

"I don't want any help!" She took a step away, and just as green light began building within her, Arlin spun her around, and looked her right in the face.

"What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?" She opened her mouth to reply, but he continued, "and don't tell me it's just because you're afraid of getting caught, we both know no human can catch you here."

Mulo said nothing, refusing to look at him. To their left something roared in the distance, and Arlin gave her a nervous look. "Let's go."

"I'm not going back to Iroh no matter-"

"You won't have to."

He offered her a hand, the webs between his fingers shining in the forest's purple glow.

Mulo lowered her head, sighed, and grasped it. Together they appeared on a hill, surrounded by more hills. And in the distance, a great beam of light shot into the sky.

"There. No one will look for you so close to the portal. Now tell me what's going on. What happened between you and Iroh?"

She sat down again, facing the distant light. Arlin sat beside her, and waited for her to speak.

After several minutes, she whispered "I did it again."

He looked at her. "What?"

"We were just talking, he was telling me about his nephew, about teaching him how to lightning bend. And I relaxed my mind without thinking and-"

Arlin's eyes widened. "You mean you…"

"I saw his mind. Like when I practised on you, except he wasn't ready for it. I hadn't told him to focus on anything, hadn't warned him." A tear rolled down her cheek. "I didn't think it would happen here. I thought I could control it."

"What did you see?" He spoke quietly now.

"He was thinking about Zuko, his nephew, because we were talking about him, but also… also his son. Lu Ten. He died in a battle. A battle Iroh started, where he was leading an attack. And he wasn't focusing on anything, and I didn't know it was going to happen, so I felt it. I felt it all. His guilt, his anger, his pride in both of them, his sadness. He's so sad, Arlin. And he sensed what was happening, and..."

Arlin looked at her, crying into her hands. "He doesn't blame you. Surely you know that. How could he? Oh, Mulo, you-" He paused. "What do you mean, you didn't think it would happen here?"

Her head snapped up, and she looked at him with shame and fear in her eyes. Arlin shook his head.

"You never told me you had this ability in the human world. I mean, I knew you were powerful, and you're obviously connected to the spiritual energy in a big way, so it makes sense you could read our thoughts, we _are_ spiritual energy. Even Iroh's, since he's pretty much a spirit himself now. But being able to read normal human minds, in the human world, without any help from a spirit…"

"Yeren said it shouldn't be possible. That's why he took me in. He said he would protect me. That people would try to use me."

Arlin nodded. "I always wondered why you were with them. I thought it was strange that they would go to such great lengths to keep you from leaving, just because of your great-grandmas."

" _Adopted_ great-grandmas. No one seems to remember that part. I don't actually share any blood with Korra, or Asami."

"But they adopted your grandfather. That's gotta count for something."

Through her tears, now drying up, Mulo rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."

"You don't really think you got all this power by accident, do you?"

"I don't know how I got it, and I don't care."

He sighed. "You should. I've been around for a long time, and neither I nor anyone I've ever talked to, spirit or human, has ever heard of someone like you. Humans shouldn't have your abilities. It's just not how things work."

"And yet it is. Deal with it."

Arlin raised an eyebrow. "Clearly I'm not the one having trouble dealing with it. You should at least talk to Iroh's friend. He's here now, and I doubt he'll leave our world before he's even met you."

"I'm _not_ talking to a Nomad."

"Why? I know you didn't exactly have a lot of fun while you were with them, but they were just trying to protect you, you said it yourself."

"No, I said he _told_ me he was trying to protect me."

Arlin paused. "What do you …Ah"

"He made me practise, every day. He said I needed to learn how to control it, that it was dangerous for me to just slip into everyone's minds all the time. He said he cared about me. But he never let me practise on him, only acolytes, people I didn't know. So one day I got curious, and I looked in his mind, and it was awful. When I practised, he had the acolytes focus on something, so all I would see was one train of thought. But when I do it when someone isn't expecting it… I can't help it. I can't stop feeling and hearing everything they're feeling and thinking."

"And what was Yeren thinking?" asked Arlin, already knowing the answer.

Mulo looked at the ground. "He wanted to use me too. He was worried, really worried. I felt so much fear, fear of the White Lotus, of the President, of so many things. He thought he could use me, turn me into his special little Nomad agent. Send me into government buildings, have me read people's minds and gather intel. He said he wanted to protect me, but I felt almost nothing in connection with his thoughts about me. He saw me as a weapon."

"So when you asked me to help you escape, you didn't just want to be free from their rules, and their bedtimes, and their boring rituals. You were trying to escape a war."

Mulo scoffed. "I never said that. The Nomad elders might be stupid, and the President might be arrogant, but no one's going to risk a war. Humans are past that sort of thing."

"Hmmm. Right. Well, I might not know anything about human politics, but I know humans. You aren't the first one I've met, even if you are the first I've liked. Fighting is all they know."

"Well, good thing they aren't my problem anymore." Mulo stood up. "Let's go. I'm tired."

"Fine. But you need to promise me that you'll at least consider speaking to Iroh, about speaking to his friend. I know you don't trust humans, and that you really don't like Nomads, but you said you saw everything Yeren thought and felt, and everything Iroh thought and felt. Tell me, how do they compare?"

Mulo gave him a withering look, and opened her mouth to speak. Then paused. Thought for a moment. Sat down again. Arlin swished his tail back and forth impatiently. He was just about to prod her to see if she was still awake when she stirred, raising her gaze.

"Fine," she said. "I'll talk to Iroh. Find out if this guy really can help me. But the moment this friend of his suggests taking me back to the human world, I swear, I will pick him up and drop him in Koh's lair before he can say 'whoops'."

Arlin laughed, then froze. "You're not joking, are you?"

"Nope."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Well, there seem to be a couple of people interested in this, so I might as well keep going. We're taking a break from Mulo now, and shedding a bit more light on the current situation with the world at large. Just to clarify for the purposes of this chapter: LR means lightning rifle.**

 **Chapter 3:**

The carrier jet tour the clouds in half, leaving only a straight line in its wake. Inside, there was almost no sound, just the muffled, comforting hum of the engines, and the deep, slow breaths of the men inside.

And women, Osden noted, scanning the faces of his fellow Lotuses. It was a pity that the other Grand Lotuses were so keen to please the masses that they blindly allowed barely-matured _girls_ into their ranks. Of the twenty guards accompanying him, eight were female. Which left twelve fighters he was willing to count on.

He suppressed a sigh. At least this mission probably wouldn't end in violence. The Nomads were stupid, but they weren't that stupid. As long as Yeren cooperated, no one would have to get hurt.

And why wouldn't he? When it came down to it, weren't they all just trying to do the right thing? Surely the Elders realised that the time for unity, and compliance with the law, had finally come for their so-called nation.

The pilot announced from the cockpit that they were beginning their descent, and two minutes later, they were on the ground.

Stepping out into the sunlight, Osden raised a hand to shield his eyes. They were on a makeshift runway, not much more than a larger-than-average dirt road just barely long enough for a top of the line Republic aircraft like their own to land on.

He made his way down the metal ramp, stepping carefully onto the ground, trying not to get his shoes covered in mud. Two junior Nomads bowed in greeting, gesturing for him to follow them. Next to the runway was a rickety old warehouse, and next to that was a lift. Unlike most lifts however, this one was a platform which extended over the edge of a massive seemingly-bottomless ravine.

Again, Osden suppressed a sigh. Of all the Nomad bases, it was the Western Air Temple which he hated the most.

His twenty Lotus guards poured out of the jet behind him, their bulky blue uniforms looking unnecessarily cumbersome next to the nearby Nomads' light orange-and-yellow robes. He gestured for six of his guards to follow him, while the rest fanned out, securing a perimeter around the jet.

The two Nomads led them to the lift, smiling respectfully but saying nothing. Osden allowed his guards to clamber in, then motioned for the Nomads to do the same. They frowned, but obliged, one standing next to a control panel and waiting for him to join them. Osden shook his head, stepping a few feet away from the lift and stamping his foot on the ground. Lines in the earth appeared, and a solid block of rock extended over the cliff face. He stamped again, and as he descended, he could have sworn he saw one of the Nomads role her eyes before hitting a button on the control panel, causing their metal lift to follow his makeshift one.

When the cliff face ended abruptly, he simply let the rock he was standing on fall into the ravine. The moment before it passed the stone buildings –which were hanging upside down beneath an outcropping of rock- completely, Osden stepped off and onto a concrete platform without blinking. He brushed an invisible speck of dirt from his uniform.

Before him stood several Nomads, some with bald heads, some without. Some of them had blue arrows on their foreheads, but several had markings depicting fire, water, earth, or other random images and words. The man who approached him, however, was bald but without any tattoos. He was also the only one managing to not look impressed at Osden's entrance.

"Welcome, Grand Lotus Osden. I see you've been keeping well."

"Yeren." He nodded stiffly in the Elder's direction, before turning and crossing his arms at the metal lift carrying his guards, which was still slowly descending towards them on a slim metal apparatus stretching from the platform to the top of the ravine.

Yeren chuckled. "You never could play by the rules."

Osden's focus snapped back to Yeren. "On the contrary, the code I live by dictates that the rules set by those before us are sacred. It's your rules I have problems with. If the way your people have been acting actually fits into any kind of system of law, that is."

Yeren's eyes narrowed. "That's probably a discussion we'll have to have at another time. I sense you came to talk to me about something else."

"Indeed. Shall we go somewhere more private?" Without waiting for him answer, Osden strode past, leading the way off the platform and into the temple. The other Nomads look at each other nervously, but Yeren waved a hand at them, and they quickly dispersed.

Once they were inside Yeren took the lead, taking them to an office overlooking several of the other temple buildings beneath the cliff. Osden took a seat in front of the desk without waiting for an invitation, and as soon as Yeren was seated he began talking.

"We've waited patiently enough. For years you have deflected our inquiries, avoided our inspections, skirted around protocol and, I suspect, blatantly lied in several instances. It's time you tell us where he is."

"Could you be more specific? Who are we talking about exactly?"

Osden clenched his fists. "The Avatar, Yeren."

Yeren sighed. "Why come here now? What's changed?"

Osden smiled, and took a moment to appreciate how much it seemed to put off the Elder before saying, "the President of the Second United Republic, elected leader of the people of this world, has authorised the immediate extraction of the Avatar from Nomad custody."

Yeren raised an eyebrow. "First of all, your president wasn't elected by _all_ the people of this world."

"Don't push me, Yeren."

"And secondly, the Avatar is not in the 'custody' of any Nomad that I am aware of."

"Then the President has ordered the Avatar to deliver himself, or be delivered, to the relevant Republic authorities."

"And what is the reason behind these orders?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Ahhh, so you don't know then. Interesting."

"Enough! Where is he? Where have you been hiding him all these years?" Osden was standing now, leaning over the desk and breathing in Yeren's face.

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about. I assure you, I don't know where he is."

Osden sighed. Leaned back. Yeren waited patiently while he seemed to consider what had been said. Then he snapped his fingers, and two Lotus guards appeared at the door.

"I didn't want it to come to this. I really didn't. But you and your organisation have been undermining our authority, and that of the President's, for far too long. Your refusal to cooperate in this matter is the last straw. We will not allow you to use the Avatar's power for your own anarchist purposes."

Yeren didn't react, even when the guards walked around his desk and grabbed him, cuffing his hands behind his back. "They're magnetised, solid platinum," one of them told him. "Don't even try breaking free."

"Wouldn't dream of it. I take it my fellow Nomads didn't just let you walk in here."

Osden shook his head solemnly. "Anyone who resisted will be taken into custody. We came prepared."

They walked out together, with Osden in front and Yeren behind, flanked by the two guards, quickly reinforced by four more. When they emerged from the building, they found the platform far more crowded than when the Lotuses had first arrived. Roughly fifty Nomads, juniors and masters alike, were handcuffed and lined up beside the lift.

Osden let out a low, humourless laugh. "Wow. I must say I didn't expect so many to try to fight. Good work, men." The Lotuses nodded their thanks. If the women resented the obvious dismissal, they didn't show it.

Just as Yeren was herded in with the rest of them, a commotion could be heard coming from inside. They all turned in time to see fire burst out from the windows, quickly followed by a young Nomad leaping through the melting glass and lobbing a fireball at someone behind him. Shouts could be heard from inside, and some of those with handcuffs looked excited, hopeful.

"Get him," said Osden, walking away. The guards advanced, waterbenders opening their flasks and non-benders charging their LRs.

The nomad rolled up his already-charred sleeves and beckoned with his hand. "Come on then, get on with it." His breathing was ragged, his skin was covered in scars. But his stance was strong, and he didn't show any sign of panic as ten of them approached.

They attacked as one, Earth benders turning the concrete beneath his feet into quicksand, sinking him then trapping his feet in the ground, while the water benders buffeted him with wave after wave of water. The fire benders had their fingers extended out in the typical lightning-bending position, and the rest had their LR's at the ready. The threat was clear.

"Stand down Gunar, you're drenched. Their lightning will kill you."

Gunar shook his head, ignoring Yeren's command. "I'm not letting them take you."

Osden sighed. "And this is why we shouldn't let people get away with avoiding the law. They get ridiculous notions in their minds, and are somehow able to convince themselves that they're impervious to electrocution." And without warning, he motioned with his hands, spreading them as if forcing something apart. Gunar didn't have a chance to reply before the floor disappeared beneath him. His screams echoed in their ears, then quickly faded. "Or gravity, for that matter."

Yeren stared at the hole in the floor. "You didn't have to do that," he whispered.

Osden glared at him. "Yes, I did. Remember where the Avatar is now?"

The Elder stayed silent. As did the others.

"Right. Get them on the jet. We're going to Republic City."

More than two hundred thousand miles away, staring up at the Earth, the Avatar sighed.

Or at least, his body moved as if he was sighing. There wasn't actually any air in his lungs, or anywhere around him. Still, it felt good to let out some of his frustration, even if no one could hear him.

Despite constantly bending the energy in order to keep himself alive in the emptiness of space, he had no problem letting his focus drift. He was gazing at the exact spot where he was born, just on the outskirts of the state of Omashu. Anyone else would have just gazed at vaguely the right spot, but he knew precisely where his village was. At that moment, he was practically looking at his old house.

He sensed a subtle shift in the spiritual energies and looked to his left to see Yae walking –or rather, leaping- slowly towards him, decked out in a state-of-the-art space suit. Through her visor he saw her smile. He nodded at her, then returned his gaze to the Earth. She stopped beside him, waiting for him to turn back. When he didn't move after several minutes, she tapped his shoulder. He turned back, rolling his eyes when he saw her gesturing to her ears.

He nodded his understanding, then bended some moon rocks around them, raising more and more into the space around their heads. He opened his palm, and the rocks dissolved. Yae watched as the rocks became dust, and the dust became air. She smiled again, pressing a button on the side of her helmet. The seal broke, and she removed it to find breathable oxygen waiting for her. She breathed it in, then made a face.

Raz raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"The air tastes earthy."

"Strange, shouldn't it taste moony? Since I made it out of moon rocks and all?" He was smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes. It never did.

"Sorry to interrupt your Earth gazing, but Tzai wants to talk to you," she said, offering him a sympathetic look. "She said it was urgent."

He sighed again, barely noticing that this time air flowed into his lungs. "Of course she did. And she couldn't just come out here herself?"

"Nope, she wants you in the control room. Said something about defence plans."

Raz rolled his eyes. "Typical. I spent a whole hour yesterday trying to convince her we were safe here. She just doesn't get that no one knows this base even exists."

"I know, I know. But you _did_ let Tazi become captain. I think it's only fair you treat her like one. And while as a water bender I don't feel particularly in my element here either, I can't imagine how hard she must be finding it. She can't go anywhere unless you make air for her, and carve a room out of the rock. She feels powerless, compared to you. We all do."

Raz nodded. "It's only natural –you _are_ powerless next to me."

"Then why did you bother bringing us here in the first place, mister almighty Avatar?"

"Company," he whispered, looking up again.

Yae stopped smiling. "It's not getting any better, is it? The silence?"

Raz shook his head. "No, it's not. It never will, not until we fix it. But until then, having people around helps. I don't know if I'd manage up here, alone. Even if I can make anything out of anything."

Yae put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, the oxygen is running out. You might as well just take us back."

Raz raised an eyebrow. "Don't feel like walking? Most humans would give anything to get to moon walk as much as you do."

"Just do the thing. I'm starting to asphyxiate."

"Fine." He waved his hand, and a hole in the floor appeared in front of them. From it spilled purified water, protected from the moon's ice-cold temperature by Raz's ever-present power. They jumped in, and shot through the tunnel, the water propelling them down at unnatural speeds.

The tunnel shot them out of the wall into one of the many corridors of their moon base. They were deep beneath the surface, with no windows whatsoever. The lights above flickered slightly, and Raz made a mental note to replenish the batteries. It wasn't that hard, he just had to bend some moon rocks into energy, like he did to make most of the things they needed. Just another everyday task for the Avatar on the moon.

The corridor was empty apart from the two of them, and out of necessity Raz filled the silence. "Has the President made his speech yet?"

Yae glanced at him as they made their way to the control room, smiling at everyone they passed. "The one about the launch? Not yet, but he's building up to it. Every source of Republic propaganda has been yapping on and on about the accomplishments of man and the 'unlimited power of unity'. If only they knew, eh?"

Raz nodded. "Yes, if only they knew." If they knew what was coming, he thought, they wouldn't be celebrating a pointless expedition into the emptiness of space. They all thought that the universe contained infinite wonders, while Raz was reminded every day of the truth.

The silence beckoned to him, pressing in from all sides.

"Soon," he muttered, so quiet he doubted Yae could hear.

 _Soon_.


End file.
